The 2013 Spring of Culture’s is upon us with a riveting season of entertainment planned to enthrall the young and old alike.

Now in its eighth year with more than 30 events planned and running until April 22, the schedule, under the banner ‘Revealing Bahrain’, is packed with acts. Booked to perform are renowned vocalists, musicians, performance-art companies, visual art exhibitions, lectures and family fun activities, as well as educational workshops catering to audiences of all ages.

Charles Aznavour, dubbed as ‘the French Frank Sinatra’, has appeared in more than 60 movies, composed over 1,000 songs (including at least 150 in English, 100 in Italian, 70 in Spanish, and 50 in German) and sold more than 100 million records.He will perform on March 15 at Arad Fort at 8.30pm. Tickets cost BD20, BD25 and BD35.

Rashmi dance troupe have reinvented Kathak, a traditional Indian dance through the portrayal of various traditional heroines, whose stories are told through dance.
The dance troupe will perform at La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art on March 29. Tickets cost BD25 and BD35 and can be purchased from the centre.

Arabic singer-songwriter Jahida Wehbe has recently released a self-produced new album entitled Sonata for Love. Wehbe will present the world première of the album in Bahrain, accompanied by the sixtet, conducted by the famous qanun player Osama Abdulrasol with Dyck Van der Herst and Philippe Thuriot.

Jahida Wehbe will perform at the Cultural Hall tomorrow at 8pm. Entry is free with limited seating.

Dinosaurs will be making an appearance in a unique interactive show with the Australian Erth performers. These life-like dinosaur creations come to life in an eye-popping display filled with fun, education and imagination. This show will take place adjacent to the Bahrain Fort Museum from Friday to March 15 at 4pm. On Friday, Saturday and March 15 showings will be at 10.30am There will be no show on Tuesday. Tickets will cost BD4.

Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba troupe is back in Bahrain with its premiere dance musical Amigas. Featuring the fictional story of divas Mercedes, Caridad and Regla. The company’s performances combine elements of flamenco, ballet and contemporary dance with Spanish and Afro-Cuban rhythms.The show takes place at the Cultural Hall on March 21 and 22. Entry is free.

Interactive Musical Atelier will perform at the Salman Culture Centre on March 22 and 23 at 11am and 4pm. This Italian musical theatre group combines visual, emotional and immersive theatre. The audience will also be invited to touch and explore the interactive scene. Entry is free but reservations must be made in advance by calling 39999521.

Kadim Al Sahir has been dubbed the ‘Caesar of Arabic Song’ and ‘Iraq’s Ambassador to the world’. Throughout his 30-year career, he has sold over 100 million albums and performed live to millions across the globe. Tickets cost BD20, BD25 and BD35.

Yanni is a Greek pianist, keyboardist, composer and music producer. He blends jazz, classical, soft rock and world music to create predominantly instrumental works.Yanni will perform on April 2 at the Bahrain National Theatre. Tickets cost BD60 and BD80.

The Mahler Chamber Orchestra created its own ensemble pursuing a vision of an independent international orchestra. The show will take place on March 27 at 7.45pm at the Bahrain National Theatre. Tickets cost BD20, BD30 and BD40.

From Cuba, the Ballet Revolución show combines a fusion of ballet, contemporary dance and hip-hop, against a blend of sounds meshed with Cuban classics, Latin American and R&B hits.The show takes place on March 29 and 30 at Arad Fort at 8.30pm. Tickets will cost BD10, BD15 and BD20.

Melody Gardot is a Grammy-nominated American singer, writer and musician. She created a blend of jazz-infused music over the past decade, catching the eye of major record labels with the 2008 release of her album Worrisome Heart. Melody’s performance will take place at Arad Fort at 8.30pm on March 23. Tickets cost BD10, BD15 and BD20.

*Tickets for Kahim Al Sahir, Ballet Revolución, Erth’s Dinosaur Petting Zoo, Charles Aznavour and Melody Gardot are on sale from Virgin Megastores and online at www.virginmegastore.me Tickets for Kathak are also available from La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art.